Top 5 tips for effective logo design

June 5th, 2018

Producing a great logo is not as easy as you might think, sure they might look simple enough (when done right) but the hard work involved during the process of creating that final logo can be demanding, and if it’s done wrong, it can be a costly exercise.

The logo will become an essential part of your brand; it’s usually the first visual representation of your business people will see – so impressions matter! We’ve listed below, what we at Brave agree are the most crucial elements of a quality logo.

Simplicity

Nike, Apple, IBM, all have one thing in common which makes them a successful logo – they are simple. Simple logos are instantly recognisable, and this gives you a competitive advantage when looking to stand out from the crowd. We always strive to put our simplest ideas forward when working on logo projects. We explore 100s of ideas which sometimes don’t work, or, they’re too complicated. In an effort to present the client the very best we can offer we often hold back the process of getting there and with that, the many logos which are rejected due to complexity.

Relevancy

Great logos are also relevant. If you can be clever, and work into the logo a way of making it relevant you’re onto a winner. However, sometimes in an effort to remain relevant, this can become a battle between relevancy and simplicity. A logo may be relevant – but it can also be complicated because of this. A fine balance between simplicity and relevancy must be found to create a truly awesome logo!

Memorable

A logo can go a long way in aiding future business. If a customer has dealt with you previously and remembers your logo over the competition, chances are, they’ll return. More often than not, we as humans, stick with what’s comfortable and what we know.

Scalability

In this day and age, your logo will be seen across a huge variety of media. Everything from the side of a bus to the highly optimised website header logo you’ll find on a tiny mobile phone screen – it’s important your logo is scalable! More now than ever a logo requires scalability.

Distinctiveness

Great logos are distinctive, think about it, the Apple logo can’t be mistaken for anyone else’s. You instantly recognise it for being Apple, that bite mark on the right is what sets it apart from just being an apple right? Having a logo which ends up being similar to another business can be harmful to you, and the other business. What’s more, you lose brand recognition through confusion.

In Summary

A great logo is born from some of, or all of the elements I’ve listed above, it isn’t necessarily just these elements that matter though.

A truly great logo must achieve what is set out in the brief. An initial meeting is essential in determining client expectations, from this, we can then build a brief based on the goals and expectations of the client/business.

Without the brief, you’re essentially throwing mud and hoping it sticks. Sure, you might create something which visually looks engaging but how can it ‘work’ for the business, it’s intended to represent if initial goals and expectations have not been met? The answer is, it can’t.

So how can Brave help?

We know a thing or two about branding and logo design, we’ve been doing it for more than 18 years – and we take it seriously. A logo, brand or brand identity can do wonders for your business, it can also kill it, so it’s worth doing it right the first time. If you require help with a logo or branding project, get in touch. We can help you navigate the ‘branding minefield’ to ensure you get the right result – first time!

I'm Steve, a Senior Graphic Designer at Brave Agency. I spend most of my time shaping brands, crafting awesome websites or figuring out better user experience and journeys through e-commerce websites. I've been working in brand, print and digital design for over 10 years and have a vast amount of knowledge to share with the world.

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